


Coming Together

by DanieXJ



Series: Lion and Mouse [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-10
Updated: 2012-04-10
Packaged: 2017-11-20 22:00:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/590102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanieXJ/pseuds/DanieXJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some... old 'friends' show up, and the residents of Happily Ever after learn that not all destruction is because of evil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was a kingdom called Happily Ever After. It was a kingdom where magic flourished and Happy Endings were as common as the leaves on the trees.

On the surface it looked like every other kingdom. It was led by a Queen, had its own army, had its own heroes.

But when a layer was peeled back the real Happily Ever After was revealed. The Queen had been elected by the people of Happily Ever After and would have to be re-elected in eight years.

And the heroes, they were a Werewolf woman, a green skinned witch, a pink dressed witch, and a blonde woman who was from far, far away from Happily Ever After.

Not to mention that in Happily Ever After, not only was the former Queen still alive, but she had stepped down from the throne voluntarily, and the election had been her idea.

It was a good place to live. It was a beautiful and calm place to live, and it was a safe place to live. But, that would all change. And soon.


	2. Chapter 2

“Are you sure?”

“I guess. We’ve faced...”

“...evil?”

“Harder things than this...”

Jaime gave a wail and Emma went over to the cradle and picked her up. Jaime smiled up at Emma for a second and then decided that the blonde wasn’t really the one that she wanted, her eyes scrunched and she let out a cry. “Yep. This one’s yours Regina.”

Regina took Jaime from Emma’s arms and unbuttoned her shirt a bit.

Emma watched the mother and daughter for a moment, then went to the window and looked out. The sun was just coming up, only a bump on the horizon. Regina’s new office, the new Queen wouldn’t let Emma call it the Oval Office and pointed out that it was square anyway. The office was in the tallest tower of the palace and from its windows nearly all of Happily Ever After could be seen. “I should get going. Start on the hundreds and hundreds of horse shoes Tubal is making me do.”

“Em, you don’t...”

Emma turned and cut Regina off, “I know. And, no, I may complain, but I like it. And Clark keeps me in the loop with what’s going on in your world too, so... No. I’m happy. Truly Happy.”

Regina shook her head, “Months ago everyone’s trying to kill me, now I have oh so many people trying to keep me safe.”

Emma smiled, “Even from your mother. You know, if this whole ‘your mother living in the palace’ thing doesn’t work, I’ll figure out a way to get you impeached from the throne.”

Regina chuckled, “Cute.”

Emma walked to Regina and narrowed her eyes, she carefully avoided Jaime and kissed Regina so hard that the chair Regina was in moved backwards. “Cute?” Regina made an unintelligible noise.

Emma put a hand on Jaime’s head, “I’ll see you later.”

“Ah... yes, definitely. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

oOOOOo

“I hate this place--”

Baelfire glanced around at the cave that was his base of operations, then to Belle who stood just inside its doorway staring out at half a wall of snow pack. “It’s kept us safe for nine months. That’s my... ability. I can disappear. Not... literally of course, but, who noticed?”

Belle didn’t answer, but did turn back towards the cave and Baelfire, “Are you going to disappear when the going gets tough this time?”

Baelfire bristled, “I could see it in the green witch’s eyes. She wasn’t on our side. So, I took myself out of the equation.” He paused, “How are Gulliver and Maleficent? Oh, yes, in the palace’s dungeon.”

Belle ignored Baelfire’s jab, “What are you doing?” Belle sauntered over to Baelfire and tried to grab the pestle away from him, he was grinding something in his little mortar, but Baelfire was faster and caught Belle’s hand.

“Don’t touch and... my plan is already happening. Let’s just say that I’m-- helping a semi-natural process along.” He paused, “And that’s all you need to know.”

Belle stared at Baelfire for a long moment, then turned back towards the cave’s doorway, although she stayed by the fire. At least the snow was melting just a bit.

oOOOOo

The bang of the hammers, hers and Tubal’s, were surprisingly calming to Emma. It was too bad that she sucked quite a bit at the actual blacksmithing. Other than horse shoes. She could do those. Though that was most likely because she’d done hundreds upon hundreds of them.

“You’re not good enough.”

Emma frowned as she looked up at Ilsabil, “Excuse me?”

Ilsabil waved her hand around the forge. “My daughter is a Queen. In all ways, she was married to this kingdom’s king until-- Snow White and her... drama. You, but you are a dirty peasant. She is a Queen.”

Emma resisted, barely, rolling her eyes, “Just like you are Ilsabil?” She shook her head, “And until Snow stepped down from the throne I was technically a princess. She’d made me promise to take the throne if she and Jame died. So... Look, Regina doesn’t give a damn what I do, who I am, where I am in the grand hierarchical chart. So, you get to live in your palace, and she gets her father back. I’ll avoid you, you avoid me, that’ll solve everything.”

Ilsabil turned a bit away from Emma, “Of course, neither of you will ever let me see my granddaughter or grandson.”

Emma’s hammer paused in midair and she frowned, “Why wouldn’t we?”

That caused Ilsabil to turn back a bit, “Because I am the enemy. Regina has made that perfectly clear.”

Emma smirked and resumed her work, “Nah-- you’re just my... mother-in-law, and trust me. I think Regina dislikes her mother-in-law much more than I do. Hell, if you just hang around here you’ll probably meet Henry sooner rather than later.”

Ilsabil studied Emma, “Really?”

Emma still smiled, “I will warn you, he talks, and he has more energy than the atom bomb.”

Ilsabil frowned, “The what.”

Emma shook her head, “Ah... yeah, never mind.”

oOOOOo

“Regina.”

“Snow.”

Henry rolled his eyes as he and his Mom passed Snow White in the halls. “‘Oh, hi Regina, how’s my granddaughter doing?’ ‘Oh, fine Snow, well, aside from the horn that’s growing from between her eyes’ ‘A horn, really, is it a unicorn horn or more like one of those plastic toy horns that make annoying noises’ ‘Well, Regina, seeing as I don’t have any clue what that toy is, I’d say the first thing’.”

The two women had stopped in their tracks and were both staring at Henry. Henry just laughed to himself. “I’m gonna go tell Mom we’re coming.” And he was off towards the forge.

The two women stood there, Regina holding an asleep Jaime in her arms, and neither woman speaking. It was finally Snow who broke the silence, “He calls you both Mom.” Regina nodded. “Are you... okay with that?”

Regina tilted her head to one side, “Do you really care?”

“She’s my daughter. All I’ve ever wanted for her is for her to be happy.”

Regina kept hold of Snow’s gaze, “She’s happy with me.” Snow made a face that made it clear that she wasn’t so sure of that fact, but didn’t speak the words. “You live here, I live here. I love Emma, you love Emma. As much as you seem to think otherwise I’m not evil... and yes, I’ll admit you’re not evil either. So. We go about our lives. If they intersect we deal with it like adults. The past is left there and we look to the future.”

Snow was silent for a long moment, then nodded and held her hand out. Regina shook it. “I’m going to go have lunch with my family, would you like to come?”

“I don’t want to...”

Regina cut Snow off, “Adults, remember? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Just a bit of a smirk came to Snow’s lips, “No, no, of course not.”

“Well.... unlike some people, I think before I speak. And if I couldn’t deal with you being there I wouldn’t have offered. So. I ask again. Would you like to share lunch with us?”

Snow was silent again, then nodded, “I-- yes, I would.”

“Good, see, that wasn’t so hard.”

Snow bit her tongue as they walked out of the palace and to the forge. Regina winced as they got closer and she spotted Ilsabil.

Emma looked over Henry’s head and her eyes shifted to Ilsabil, down to Henry and back to Regina, then she raised an eyebrow. Regina shrugged as well as she could while still carrying Jaime and rolled her eyes. That got her a smile in return, and both Ilsabil and Henry turned to see who Emma was smiling at.

Henry ran back to Regina and Snow, “Ilsabil says I can call her Grandma if I want, but that Nanna is better I...”

Henry was interrupted as a much taller man came running up, Clark the guard skidded to a halt and came to attention in front of Regina. “My Queen. News that’s...” He cleared his throat, “News.”

“What is it Clark, spit it out.”

“Someone... someone spotted the Huntsman, your Huntsman in the forest coming this way.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open, “Graham?”


	3. Chapter 3

Red looked over as the door opened and Phelan came stumbling in, but she wasn’t in her human form, but she was still a wolf. She didn’t say a word as Phelan seemed to pulse between her two forms once, twice, and then she was naked on the floor.

Red held a hand out and helped Phelan up. “Hey.. that was...”

Phelan sighed, “Weird, believe me, I know. The whole day has been like that. So... but, here I am. I saw some commotion out by the palace. What’s up?”

“The Huntsman is back. Everyone thought he was dead, but... he just appeared in the forest and I think he’s nearly to the palace.”

Phelan swore, “Graham, the Huntsman. In the other world Regina was sort of sleeping with Graham and everyone was sure Emma and Graham would be the ones to live happily ever after.”

“Oh... that’s going to be awkward Wolf...” Red frowned, “Why couldn’t you change back easily just now?”

Phelan shook her head, “I don’t know Red, I’m not sure I want to know. So, want to head over to the palace?”

Red handed Phelan a pair of pants and a shirt, “To see the fireworks?” Phelan nodded, “Definitely.”

oOOOOo

He looked exactly the same as he had on the night he’d collapsed in the Sheriff’s office. Leather jacket, roguish beard and there was a new glint in his eye. He smiled as she approached the group. Clark the guard, Ilsabil, Snow, Henry, Regina who still held Jaime and Emma.

He grabbed a still stunned Emma around the waist and twirled her. Kissing her as they completed the circle. When he put her down she stumbled backwards and was caught by Snow before she could fall, “Graham, you...”

He smiled and spoke in his accent, “Alive with all-- every one of them-- my memories.”

Henry stepped forward and poked Graham in the arm. “How are you alive Graham?”

“I don’t know.” His eyes went to Regina, “Perhaps the Queen will change her mind again and I won’t be for long.”

Jaime gave a soft cry and Regina bounced her as she shook her head, “I had nothing to do with-- you-- this.” Jaime made another noise and her face scrunched up, “I need to feed Jaime.” She gave Emma a glance, then turned on her heel and went back towards the palace.

“Regina--”

Emma looked to Graham, then Regina’s retreating back, she blew out a breath and jogged to catch up with Regina.

Graham looked after her for a moment before he turned to Snow, “I think I’ve missed some things while I was gone.”

A laugh came from to one side, “Oh, you missed a bunch of drama Graham-crackers... for one thing, most of them remember nothing of Storybrooke.”

“Phelan.” He smiled and they shook hands. “My friend.”

Phelan pulled Graham in and hugged him for a quick hug, then slapped him on the back. “I know you couldn’t stay dead for long.”

Snow looked between the two of them, “I don’t understand, you’re the hunter, you’re the wolf.”

Phelan pinned Snow with a look, “You’ve been listening to shortie’s stories too much...” Henry gave a harrumph and stalked off. Going the same way his mothers had. And Phelan turned back to Graham, “You just... woke up in the forest?”

Graham’s cheek twitched, “Regina giveth, she taketh away, right?”

“No..” Phelan shook her head, “She’s changed. She’s happy. She has a child.”

Graham tilted his head to one side, “Since when has that stopped her.”

oOOOOo

“Regina, stop, please.”

They were in the great room, beside the dais. Regina turned, “I just would like to be alone Emma.”

Emma grit her teeth and barely contained herself, “Hell Regina, give me some damn credit, will you?”

Regina held Jaime out to Emma, “Can you feed her?”

Emma frowned, “You know that...”

She pulled the baby girl back towards her, “Then please Emma, leave me alone.”

Emma somehow managed to stand perfectly still as Regina walked out the back entrance of the great room and most likely in the hallway that led to their private chambers.

A moment later Henry put his hand in Emma’s. “Sorry.”

Emma shook her head, shaking herself out of it, “What for? You didn’t know that Graham would come back, or that your Mom would think the worst.”

“She’s just scared, you know?”

“I know.”

“Oh...” Henry sighed, “But it is my fault, if I’d never come and gotten you--”

Emma knelt down in front of Henry, “Hey. No. You were crazy, and reckless, and it was a horribly dangerous thing to do, but I am glad that you did bud. All my life I’ve been an orphan, you gave me a family. Even if tomorrow it all goes to hell...” She kissed Henry’s cheek, “All I can ever say to you is thank you. I should...” Emma looked towards the door Regina had exited through and sighed, “I should go back to the forge, but... will you check on your Mom?”

Henry made a face, “Tell her not to be a butt head?”

Emma smiled, “Yeah, don’t lead with that kid.”

Emma left Henry alone in the great room, going in the opposite direction that Regina had. After he had left he slapped his hand against the side of the dais. “C’mon... c’mon... seriously?”

“Young Henry, are you having a problem?”

Henry looked up at the only green woman in the kingdom “Hey Elphaba... I thought that you were going to get as far away from the palace as you could?”

Elphaba glanced around the great room, “I felt...”

“...a disturbance in the force?”

Elphaba looked back at Henry, not understanding what he’d just said, “Ah...”

Henry rolled his eyes and groaned, “Seriously, I wasn’t even born when that one was made. Never mind...”

Elphaba put a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “Are you okay Henry?”

Henry shrugged, “I mean, sure, why not. Suddenly I have, like, powers, or something in me, and now my Moms are fighting, and... and it’s like, it’s like my heart is all crushed and I’m afraid all the time and..” He sniffed once, then again, “I just...” He swallowed, then cleared his throat, “I want to go home, and this... I thought...” He closed his eyes, “I want to go home Elphaba.”

Elphaba studied Henry for a moment before she nodded to herself, “Most of that I can’t do anything about, but your magic issue... perhaps I can teach you about it?”

Henry hurfed, “Can you make it go away?”

Elphaba shook her head, “Trust me Henry, you don’t want to do that. So...”

Henry nodded. “Okay... okay.”

oOOOOo

Red and Phelan watched as Graham tore apart yet another room in the palace. “Wolf, what... what in the world is he doing?”

Phelan shook her head and took a deep breath, “He’s trying to make sure that Regina, the Queen, doesn’t still have his heart somewhere.”

“Do you, do you really think that the Queen has changed?”

Phelan shook her head again and walked down the hall, away from the room Graham was in. “You weren’t there, well, you were, but you don’t remember any of it. You didn’t see her in Storybrooke, you didn’t see her when Henry was missing, you didn’t see her when Emma was on the edge of death. She...” 

Phelan stopped and put her hand against the wall. Wolf hair sprouted on the hand and started to move up her arm. It did slow to a crawl, and then slowly her hand turned back to normal.

She pushed off the wall, continued down the hall and continued speaking as if nothing had happen and Red had to run to catch up. “She was ready to give up her own life to save Emma. That’s not... that’s not the action of someone pretending, someone passing for good. So yeah, I’m damn sure that whatever’s going on, with me...” She paused and turned to narrow her eyes at Red. She gave her a quick peck on the lips, “...yes, I can practically hear your thoughts you’re thinking so loud. Whatever’s going on with Happily Ever After, with me, with everything... it’s not Queen Regina.”


	4. Chapter 4

Henry tossed and turned in his bed.

He’d had a long day. He and Elphaba had started in the great room, trying to move something. Catch something on fire, make something disappear, do something magic.

It hadn’t worked in there, so they’d moved from the great room to the cottage at the edge of town where Elphaba and Galinda lived. That hadn’t helped either. No matter how Elphaba had tried to help him, Henry hadn’t been able to do any magic at all on purpose.

And so, he tossed and turned, dreaming, and not in a good way.

oOOOOo

_He was in Storybrooke again, in front of the Mayor’s house, his house and for just a moment that felt good. He felt happy and at peace. He knew, in the way that things are known in dreams that both Emma and Regina were in the house._

_Then he felt a blast of heat and looked over at where it had seemed to come from and gasped. A volcano had appeared just beyond the town and a blast of lave had-- poofed, or spewed, or whatever, out of its top and was oozing towards the town and towards Henry and the Mayor’s house._

_Henry squinted. As the lava destroyed the town what replaced it was a castle and what looked like the forests in Happily Ever After._

_Snow and James and Ruby and Granny appeared and were overtaken by the lava. They turned into skeletons as they came towards Henry. All speaking at once and over each other._

_“It’s your fault.”_

_“We’ll all die because of you.”_

_“You’re the evil one.”_

_“You don’t belong.”_

_“It’s your fault, it’s your fault, your fault.”_

_“All your fault.”_

oOOOOo

Henry sat straight up, “NO, NO...” His chest heaved, “It’s not, I’m not...” A choked cry came from his throat, “Mom...”

He hadn’t even meant to call his mom out loud. He knew it had just been a dream, and he had been dealing with his own nightmares for years. He was too old to call to his Mom after a scary dream. And yet it had slipped out anyway.

And Regina appeared in his doorway just on the edge of what was humanly possible, a worried look on her face. “Henry? Honey?”

Henry lay his head back against his headboard, “It was just...” She came farther into the room, “Just a nightmare. I’m sorry that...”

“Shhh...” She sat down on the edge of his bed and straightened his sleep mussed hair, “Tell me?” He shrugged, “Was it about me?”

He shook his head, “No. It was, there was a volcano, and it killed, every... everyone, and everyone was blaming me, and...” He swallowed. “I’m not supposed to be here.”

Regina put an arm around Henry, “Your my son, of course you’re supposed to be here...”

Henry gave a yawn. “Sorry that I got you up and stuff.”

Regina smiled, “It’s a Mom thing. Get some sleep, and don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere.”

Regina paused in the hallway when she got out of Henry’s room. She frowned. She looked one way down the hall, then went the other way.

oOOOOo

“Regina?”

“Daddy?” They were both in the palace’s kitchens.

The Elder Henry put an arm around her daughter. “You have something on your mind.”

Regina put a hand to his heart, “And you... you always know when I need you, don’t you.”

Henry smiled, “It’s a gift. Now, what’s wrong oh daughter of mine?”

They sat down at a counter, across from each other. Regina was silent for awhile, but Henry said nothing, waiting for her to start. “Henry... your grandson,”

Henry interrupted Regina, “I can still tell the difference between me and my grandson young lady, even if we have the same name.”

Regina narrowed her eyes, but continued, “He had a nightmare.”

Henry nodded slowly, “And you’re worried that it’s not just a nightmare.”

“Graham came back from the dead. You’re here too when I ki... even in Happily Ever After, more often than not it takes more powerful magic than even I have to resurrect the dead.”

“This Elphaba?”

Regina shook her head, “No... I checked. Plus, why would she do that? I just can’t think who would want to do this.”

Henry put his hand over his daughter’s. “Now, tell me what is really on your mind.”

Regina shook her head, “It doesn’t matter.”

“Regina, it always matters. I’m your father. Tell me.”

Regina frowned, “Before... we came back here, in Storybrooke, Graham and Emma, even I could see a connection between them. And then he died... no. Then I killed him, and now... I love her so much Daddy.”

He got up and came around the table, “Does she love you?”

“I... I think so. She... Yes.”

He kissed her on the side of the head, “Then don’t worry about it my darling daughter. And remember, I love you.”

Regina smiled just a bit and turned, giving her father a hug. “I love you too Daddy.”

They parted and Henry patted at his chest, “Yep, still there.”

Regina rolled her eyes and gave him a half a shove, “You’re hilarious Daddy. I should... get back. Get some sleep just as I told your grandson he should do.”

“Well... I... I am going to go for a walk in the gardens. I’m feeling... alive tonight, and I want to savor it.”

oOOOOo

Phelan ran and if she’d had the proper vocal chords to do it she would have laughed. In Storybrooke she had run as well, but there was always an underlying tension that she would get caught, that she would be dissected in some secret government facility or whatever.

But in Happily Ever After she was free to run all over the place, sure, there was still the danger that some farmer would think she was trying to eat his sheep, which to that if she could talk she’d say, ewww... then she’d laugh. But it would be because she was a wolf, not because she was a werewolf.

Still, she missed her Ruby. Red was amazing and they were nearly alike, but Ruby, Phelan missed Ruby every day too.

She was home. She bumped open the door and kicked it closed with her back legs and then she tried to change back. It had gotten harder and harder over the past few weeks, but at least she’d been able to. This time, nothing. Red came into the room, a worried look on her face. It was the first time that it had happened two days in a row.

Phelan concentrated. Nothing. A frown came over her fur covered face. She tried again. Nothing.

Red knelt down next to her and met her eyes. “Should I get Regina? Or...”

As best she could Phelan nodded and Red took her hood and was out the door. This wasn’t good.


	5. Chapter 5

Red jogged towards the palace. Even though it was night in a day or two it would be a full moon so it wasn’t too hard to see. She was nearly to the palace when she tripped. She stopped her fall, but her hands landed in something slightly warm and quite sticky.

She stood and brought her hands closer to her face and gasped, then screamed.

oOOOOo

Regina raised her head as she heard the scream.

In the pit of her stomach a pain she hadn’t felt in months gnawed at her anew. She was out of bed and out of her room in the blink of an eye, nearly running down Emma who had been sleeping on the Happily Ever After couch equivalent.

“Regi--”

Regina just plowed towards the stairs and nearly flew down them. Emma was close on her heels.

They were the first to the front of the palace. Regina collapsed next to the body, her hands over the gaping hole in its chest. “No... no, no... the gardens, you were going to the damn gardens Daddy... Please no...”

The Elder Henry made no noise, there was no life left in him.

Emma knelt next to Regina and put a hand on Regina’s shoulder, “Reg--”

“No...” Her arm flew out and Emma was thrown nearly twenty yards away.

Emma winced as she took Red’s helping hand up with a groan, “Hell...”

Red frowned, “Are you okay?”

Emma sighed, “What? I’m fine Red. But Regina...” She blew out a breath.

Ilsabil came barreling out of the palace as well and when she got to Regina and the elder Henry she started hitting Regina’s back, “What did you do, what did you do?”

Of all the people to restrain Ilsabil it was Graham who took the woman by the waist and physically dragged her backwards. “Don’t waste your breath... the law will take care of her--”

Regina rose up and turned. So slowly that any whispering that the people gathered had been doing stopped abruptly. “I would... never... never kill my father.”

Graham with Ilsabil still struggling in his arms parried back, “You did once before.”

Regina took a step towards Graham and it was Emma who put her arm in front of Regina. The dark haired woman pushed it away, so Emma stepped in front of Regina and put both her hands on Regina’s shoulders. “He didn’t do anything Regina.”

Regina’s eyes finally left Graham’s face and focused on Emma, “Oh, you know that?” Regina’s eyes glinted, “I could just...”

Emma cut her off, “Go ahead, unless you kill me I’ll get up every time.”

There was no emotion on the Queen’s face, “I didn’t kill my father.”

“I know.”

She shrugged off Emma’s hands, “I have to... you’ll take care of the kids.” There was no question in her voice. “I-- I can’t...” She shook her head, turned, and strode into the town, getting lost amongst the forest of houses.

Emma watched Regina, then looked to the palace and sighed, “Damn...” She looked Graham and Ilsabil’s way. “You just had to say something Graham. You couldn’t just shut the hel up. That’s her FATHER.”

Graham opened his mouth, but didn’t get to say anything as Emma pushed by, nearly knocking him over. Ilsabil then yanked herself away from Graham, “Let go of me, you brute.”

Graham was still for a second, then did let go. Ilsabil got down on the ground next to her husband and put her hand on his forehead. “You were an entirely un-ambitious clod more often than not, but I’ll miss you Henry.”

She parted his hair, then stood and started towards the town. Graham partially snapped out of his reverie. “Where are you going?”

Ilsabil sighed, “To find my daughter.”

oOOOOo

Henry practically attacked Emma the second she stepped into their suite of rooms in the palace. “Mom, is Mom coming back? Why didn’t you go after her? Can I go after her? What happened down there? Why did Mom leave?”

Emma closed the door and sank down against it, “I don’t... I can’t do this. I should be in Boston, getting drunk, pounding bail jumpers to a pulp, wearing clothes that aren’t made of natural fibers. Just...”

Henry sat down in front of Emma with a frown, “Sorry... Emma... is, what happened?”

Emma shook her head and leaned it back against the door, closing her eyes. “Henry... your grandfather, he’s dead.”

Henry’s face went slack, “Oh.” He looked down at his hands, then back up to Emma. “Why are you up here with me, and with Jaime.”

Emma blew out a breath her eyes still closed, “Because, it doesn’t matter if I’m sick of all the hell that this place is putting me, us through or not. I’m your mother, Jaime’s mom,” she opened her eyes and looked at Henry, “Means I gotta be up here feeding your sister, making sure that you don’t go after Regina... adult stuff.”

Henry made a face, “That sucks.”

Emma stood and dragged Henry up with her, “Yep, totally sucks.”

Henry bit the inside of his lip, “Do you... do you think that Mom will be okay, with the whole Graham thing, and then Grandpa Henry dying?”

“I don’t know kid.” Jaime gave a yell, “That sounds like a ‘change me’ yell, wanna help.”

Henry made a face, “You’re going to keep me within eyeshot of you until Mom comes back, aren’t you.”

Emma raised an eyebrow, “Mmmhmmm...”


	6. Chapter 6

“What did you do Belle, you could ruin everything.”

Belle ran a finger down Baelfire’s cheek, leaving a trail of blood behind. “I couldn't help it. I was bored, and you still haven’t told me what this grand plan is. So...”

Baelfire frowned and wiped at his face, “This isn’t... you’re not this woman. You...”

Belle sighed and warmed her hands over the fire, rubbing them together. “What, the bookish little girl who simply does what her father tells her to and pines after a beast of a man. Perhaps you misunderstand why I was in love with Rumpel.” She closed her eyes and turned on Baelfire, “And now you have me thinking of him. Damnit, tell me what your plan is.”

Baelfire regarded Belle for a long moment, then shrugged, “Wait.”

Belle was perfectly still for a moment, “That’s your plan, wait?”

Baelfire smiled a mysterious smile, “All good things come to those who wait. Including you my Belle.”

Belle stared at Baelfire for a moment, then rolled her eyes, “I’m going to go wash off. Tell me when you have an actual plan.”

Belle left the cave and Baelfire stared daggers at her back, “Have an actual plan... good for...” He took a deep breath, “It will all be worth it.”

oOOOOo

Red opened the door and looked around she and Phelan’s house. “Wolf?” She winced as she said the name. Phelan had told Red that she could call her that instead of Wolf, but Red had only ever known the woman as Wolf.

“Phelan?”

Red heard what sounded like claws on the front door and opened it. “Phelan? Oh... I was coming back to, you know?”

Phelan seemed to take a deep breath and her head slowly nodded. Red sat down in the middle of the room next to Phelan and put a hand on her head, “I’m sorry. I looked for Regina, well, everywhere, but I couldn't find her. Do you think Elphaba...”

_“No.”_

Red jerked away from Phelan, who looked surprised as well. “Uh... I, that, you... that was in my...”

_“Head. This is new.”_

Red stood and backed away so fast that she tripped over a chair. “How, what... stop it. What are you doing?”

_“Sorry...”_

Red squeezed her eyes closed. After a moment she felt pressure against her leg and knee and after another moment she opened her eyes and looked down at Phelan. “Wo... Phelan, why is this happening, what are you doing?”

Red didn’t hear anything in her head. Phelan simply stared up at Red for a long moment until Red hurfed, “Fine... do whatever you’re doing again. What are you doing?”

 _“Nothing.”_ Phelan paused, _“You try it. Think at me.”_ Red stared at Phelan for a long time, _“Are you doing it?”_

Red hurfed out a breath, “Of course not, are you listening to yourself... or whatever. Think at you?” Phelan looked up at Red, who sat down with a bump on the floor and hurfed, “See, that look, doesn’t matter if you’re wolf or human or anything else. I know that look. Fine, fine, I’ll think at you. It won’t work though.” She took a breath, _“I don’t know what to think. Oh my heavens.”_

Red sighed, “Now what? Should I go try to find Regina again? Or...”

There was a bit of a roar and Red looked around. When it happened again, she realized that it was Phelan’s gut. “Or....”

Phelan smiled as much as she could and Red just shook her head, “Oh what big teeth you have Phelan. To better eat us out of house and home right? Dinner, then another search for Regina. With the help of your nose.”

oOOOOo

“One of what she’s drinking please.”

The man behind the bar looked Ilsabil up and down. “Are you sure now?”

Ilsabil’s face went still as she stared at the man, “Did I speak the words young man?”

The bartender raised his hands in surrender, “Don’t say that I didn’t warn you when it burns.” He poured the liquid into a squat cup and pushed it to Ilsabil.

Ilsabil picked it up and downed it in one gulp, never flinching or pausing. “Now leave us alone so I may talk to my daughter in private.”

The bartender shook his head and left. Ilsabil finally looked over at Regina, who didn’t turn, or even move. “You’re going to have to tell me what to do, what to say.”

Regina was silent for a long time, then finally spoke, “You tell me that it’ll all be okay. That we’ll get through it.” She finally turned and looked at her mother, “That you love me.”

It was Ilsabil’s turn to be quiet for a minute, “I don’t know how to Regina. When you were a child I looked at you and... your father wanted you.” She looked away, “You were alien. A red thing that screamed a lot.”

“You had difficulty sleeping? The house was closing in on you? Felt like you were falling behind in... everything.”

Ilsabil stared at her daughter, “How did... how did you know?”

Regina didn’t answer her mother. “I was screaming for you Mother.” Regina said it with no emotion in her voice, “I didn’t need anything more than the warmth of my mother’s arms every once in awhile.”

Ilsabil was at a loss for what to say for a moment, “Would you believe me if I apologized?”

“No.”

Ilsabil nodded, “I wouldn’t mean it. I will miss your father though.”

A sob started to escape Regina’s throat, but she choked it off and cleared her throat, “I will find out who killed him and... and kill the man.”

“How do you know it was a he?”

Regina turned towards Ilsabil again, “A she. Who would do that?”

“Emma.”

“Never.”

The response from Regina was so fast that Ilsabil was taken a little aback. “Are you sure?”

They both fell silent. It was Ilsabil who finally broke the silence. “It was just an idea.” 

She stood and took two steps before Regina spoke again, “I had a sort of postpartum depression after I adopted Henry, not exactly the same thing, but... I... it was a lot of things.” She glanced over at Ilsabil. “Most of them your fault. But I... Graham. The man who you met, who’s supposed to be dead. He helped me through it. That’s...” Regina paused, “That’s how I knew what you were going through.”

Regina stood as well and started towards the door. As she passed by her mother Ilsabil caught her by the arm. “I... I named you. If... I guess that at one time or another I loved you, because. I’m the one that named you.” She let go, but Regina didn’t move. And they just stood there like that.

oOOOOo

Belle grasped Baelfire by the lapel and yanked him to his feet. “Look, fine, wait, wait, you say wait. What are we waiting for? Tell me. Alright? Tell me now.”

“He doesn’t have to, the waiting is over.”

Belle turned and her mouth dropped open. “Rumpel.” She looked back at Baelfire, “How did you know?”

It was Rumpel who answered, “My son knows enough to know that if there is something in this world that is not of this world it cannot survive. Now we just have to do something about it.”

oOOOOo

Red came into the living room and looked around with a frown, “Phelan?” Her eyes fell on the open front door and ran to it. “Phelan, Phelan... WOLF!”

She ran back into the house and frantically looked around. Nothing was different, nothing except... She glanced at the mantle where there had been two pencil sketches. One of her grandmother and one of Phelan. The one of her grandmother was on the floor, its frame bent all out of whack. 

She picked it up and was holding it when Geppetto stuck his head in the door. “Red, are you unwell?”

Red frowned, “Why?”

“Your Wolf ran from this house as if he were trying to save a life. I assumed it was yours.”

“Which way did he go Geppetto?”

Geppetto stepped out the door and pointed towards the forest. “That way.”

Red had only jogged a few steps away when Geppetto called out, “Red... I also saw your Granny go that way earlier.” She didn't turn back, just ran faster.

oOOOOo

“Why aren’t you out there Elphie?”

Elphaba had her arms around Galinda, holding her tight as they both stood just outside their front door and watched as the clouds got murkier and the wind obtained an air of danger. “Not this time. Did I tell you that I ran into Henry in the throne room. Worrying over his latent powers.”

“No. Did you help him?”

“I tried. I did... but... when I was helping him I saw something. This... there’s a storm coming. Well, technically two storms, and if we get involved it will only make things worse.”

Galinda looked up at Elphaba, “Are you sure Elphie?”

Elphaba smiled and gave Galinda a kiss, “This time, yes.”


	7. Chapter 7

“No... it... it can’t be...”

James looked around the room. “Where... what happened? One moment I’m...” He put a hand to his forehead. “Mary Margaret, what the hell is going on?”

Snow frowned, “Who is... Mary Margaret?”

James turned in a circle. “We’re still in... Happily Ever After. Snow White?”

Snow kept her distance, “You don’t speak like my James.”

James frowned, “Yeah, and, I’m pretty sure I died. Didn’t I die Snow?”

“You saved all our lives. How do I know if...” Snow frowned, “What happened right after I got my memory, my love back after the potion?”

James made a face, “A very small space and a very bumpy ride.”

Snow paused a moment, then ran into James’ arms, kissing him until they both nearly passed out. Finally James pulled away, “You said that Graham is alive?”

Snow didn’t let go of James, but did nod, “Yes, the huntsman.”

James blew out a breath, “Why do I have this sinking feeling that Rumpelstiltskin is too.”

“What? Emma, he knows Emma’s name James... if he...”

oOOOOo

Regina and Ilsabil stared at each other. Silent.

“Why are you here? Not with your family? It’s not because of your father is dead again. Tell me the real reason.”

Regina turned her head away from her mother and stared at the tables of people, drinking, being merry. “Because I can’t watch it. Alright. I can’t watch as my entire life collapses in front of me... again. As someone else gets my happy ending... again.”

“Perhaps he won’t.”

Regina let go a bitter laugh, “Have you met me...” she turned on her mother again, “Have you met you... we’re always the losers in this damn life. Always.”

“But...”

“Mother...”

Ilsabil cut off Regina and put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “No. Yes, perhaps you’ll lose it all again, but I watched you and your father play entirely too many chess games as a child, and, never once did I see you concede a game, even if you were clearly going to lose. You always stayed to at least watch yourself lose. Let’s go back.” She paused, “If for nothing else, then for good-bye.”

Regina studied her mother, “You can be a pain in the ass with your damn logic.”

Ilsabil quirked an eyebrow, “Where do you think you got it Regina?”

oOOOOo

Emma sat on the side of the dais in the great room. She held a fussy Jaime in her arms, feeding her milk from a bottle. “I know, I know kid, you don’t like it. You want your real mom. I get that a lot you know.” Emma smiled just a little despite herself. 

“You shouldn’t talk to yourself you know. People might just think you’re crazy.”

Emma glanced over as Graham came up to the dais. “No, they’ve thought that since I married Regina here in Happily Ever After.”

“She killed me Emma.”

Emma glanced down at Jaime who had settled down and was lightly sleeping. “I... it’s complicated Graham.”

Graham slapped the dais and Jaime jerked awake, giving a cry, “I knew it. She has something over... just take your children and leave her. I’ll help you... we can...”

“You’re not the white knight in this story Graham.”

Graham stepped between Emma’s legs on the dais. “No. Life isn’t that easy. But I love you Emma.”

Emma bumped Graham back with her knee as she rubbed circles on a still crying Jaime’s back. “You don’t know me Graham. We knew each other for barely any time. You don’t know what I’ve done, who I am...” She looked down at Jaime, “Shh... it’s okay kiddo. Shhh...”

After a moment Jaime finally settled again and Emma put her in what Henry called Jaime’s baby basket. Emma slid off the dais, but Graham didn’t move, “Move back Graham.”

oOOOOo

Ilsabil and Regina’s walk from the tavern to the palace had been silent. Regina was a step away from the great room, just behind her mother when Ilsabil turned and put her hands up, “Don’t go in there Regina.”

Regina entered anyway.

oOOOOo

Graham gripped Emma’s head with both his hands and kissed. Emma was so surprised that she paused for half a second, then tried to back away, but the edge of the dais bit into her back.

Then, there was an explosion of movement and Henry came flying into the great room. He rushed to the dais and grabbed and pulled at Graham until they both went sprawling backwards. “NO means NO.”

Emma was white as Henry hurried back to her. “He hurt you Mom? Mom? What’s--” He turned and looked in the direction that Emma was looking. Regina stood just inside the doorway, frozen, her face a blank mask. 

Regina turned to leave, but was thrown backwards by Rumpelstiltskin before she could get far. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes ablaze, she’d found somewhere to point her rage. She threw her hands out and it was Rumpelstiltskin’s turn to slide across the floor and slam into the wall.

He clawed at his throat as his air was cut off for a second. Regina was in none of her usual black flowy garb, her hair was as short as it had been every day in Storybrooke, and yet the power coming off of her was the same.

Rumpelstiltskin finally threw off Regina’s power and the two of them stood at each side of the great room. “You’re dead Mr. Gold.”

“The news of my demise was premature Ms. Mills. Your demise, though, is assured.”

Neither moved. It was almost like a showdown at high noon. Both waiting for the other to flinch, blink, or make some sort of mistake.

Jaime gave a cry in her basket and that made Regina move first. She threw a bolt of something at Rumpelstiltskin, who seemed to walk through it and pinned Regina against the wall, first with magic, then with his hand to her throat. He took out a knife and put it to her throat. “Move.”

She did. Giving Baelfire and Belle a glance, “You three won’t... can’t get away with this.”

Baelfire chuckled, “God, how long were you evil, and that’s the best you can come up with.”

Belle just shook her head and Rumpelstiltskin just smiled his creepy smile. He opened his mouth to speak agian, but Snow and of all people, the former Prince James, came running in. “Emma, Henry, the guards said that they spotted....”

They both stumbled to a halt as they realized that Emma and Henry, as well as Regina and Graham and Ilsabil all very well knew that Rumpelstiltskin, Baelfire and Belle were coming, since they were there.

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, “Good, the gang’s all here. So. Here’s how it will be. Regina, you will kill your son.”

Regina struggled to get away. And Snow spoke up, “She won’t... why... why would she need to?”

Rumpelstiltskin had the knife so close to Regina’s throat that blood trickled down her neck and under her neckline. “So... you didn’t share did you. I can see in your eyes that you know what I’m talking about.” He paused, “There I am dead. Here... here I am alive, somehow... you will kill your son or I will kill you, and your daughter and your....” Regina’s eyes narrowed, and Rumpelstiltskin blinked, “...your wife, and then maybe your mother just for sport. You will kill him so that we can all stay here. Understood.”

Graham spoke, as if he were being helpful, “You can’t do it Regina you...”

Baelfire whipped his hand around and a small knife flew towards Graham, hitting him in his lower rib area. “Oh, do shut up hunter.” Emma flinched forward just a bit and Baelfire pointed at her, “No, you don’t get to save the day again. Neither do any of your little troupe. No. The Queen will kill Henry, we’ll fix this, and then... all will be right.”

Ilsabil stepped forward and took a deep breath in, “Kill me instead.”

Regina closed her eyes, “I... It won’t work. To keep the Happily Ever After world from merging with the real...” She winced as Rumpelstiltskin pushed the knife in just a bit, “..from merging with the other world, to keep that from happening the spell would need the heart of someone who is not of Happily Ever After.” She looked down at her son Henry, “You are what is pulling them together Henry.”

“Oh...”

Snow put her arms on her hips and stared at Regina as if no one else in the world existed, “And how long have you known this is going on? How long have you known how exactly to fix it?”

Regina’s face didn’t twitch at the question, she had retreated behind her mask. It had been hard to put all the ways that she had changed in the previous year back behind it. But she’d done it. “Since Graham... the Huntsman reappeared. Henry had a dream. I thought when my father appeared that perhaps it would just be him... but then the Huntsman and Rumpelstiltskin, and obviously James... all with both sets of their memories.”

“Enough talking. Kill him.”

Emma took a step towards Regina, though only one step, “Would I work? I was raised for all my years away from Happily Ever After? I was gone before the curse did its work...”

“No.” That was Snow. “No Regina, you will not kill my daughter, or my grandson. Either we’ll stay in Happily Ever After or we’ll... merge with your other world, but NO one is dying on this day.”

Rumpelstiltskin moved the knife to just above the right side of Regina’s lip and slowly dragged it down, blood flowing.

“STOP.”

Everyone looked to Henry. “Please... please stop Mr. Gold, Rumpelstiltskin, Dark One, whatever you are, please stop. Don’t kill her. Please.”

“Henry...”

Henry took a deep breath, almost just exactly as his grandfather Henry had and then nodded his head. “I mean... I’m like, not really here anyway, right? I should never have been born, ‘cause Emma shouldn’t have gotten out and then she’d have been in Storybrooke and not on the side of the road or whatever. It’s okay. I mean, I’ve had more adventures already than everyone else in the world even has in their whole life. It’s okay. I love you Mom...” He glanced to the side, “You too Emma, don’t be... don’t be mad at Mom, okay? Promise me? Please?” He leaned forward a little, “She can’t live without you.”

Emma knelt in front of Henry and wrapped her arms around him. “Love ya kid.”

Henry put his head on Emma’s shoulder, “Love you too Mom. It’ll be okay.”

Emma moved back a bit and quirked an eyebrow, “You’re a strong one kid.”

Baelfire took a hold of Emma and dragged her away from Henry, his own knife to her throat. “Got her Dad.”

Rumpelstiltskin slowly let Regina go. “If you do anything other than...”

“You’ll kill Emma, my mother, probably most of the others in this room. I get it. I get it.”

She knelt down in front of Henry and seemed to be looking right through him. Snow tried to push forward, but Belle stopped her. “He’s your Son. Regina, he’s your damn SON... you can’t kill him. You can’t....”

Regina looked over at Snow, “You forget. I killed my father.” She put her hand on Henry’s chest over his heart and no one moved or even breathed.


	8. Chapter 8

Red felt as though she’d been searching for Phelan and Granny for a day, but it had probably only been a few hours. She had started her search running through the forest, but soon realized that she might miss something if she went so fast, and had slowed down.

As she got deeper into the forest it was as if the tracks revealed themselves to Red, she’d always been a good tracker. There were two sets, one of someone on two feet, the other of someone on four.

Honestly Red was worried just a bit over why Phelan would go after Granny. In her heart Red was pretty sure that Phelan even as a wolf wouldn’t hurt her grandmother, but Red’s brain wasn’t so sure.

She heard a howl in the wind and changed direction. As the wind pummelled her in the face she realized that the wind even smelled funny, though she couldn’t place what it smelled like. Then, she heard her grandmother. “Stop-- stop it Wolf...”

Red made a beeline for the voice. She didn’t hear screams, but that didn’t mean that her grandmother wasn’t being attacked. When she got to the clearing Red blinked, trying to figure out what was going on.

Phelan was poking Granny in the back with her nose, trying to get her away from a pile of what looked like debris and candles. “Grandma? Phelan?”

In her mind Phelan spoke, _“You have to leave this place. We have to leave, NOW!”_

Red winced and put a hand to her head, “But, why... why Phelan?”

It was Granny who answered, “A storm, it’s coming. Can’t you smell it?”

Red sniffed and nodded, “But, why...”

Granny tried to go back to her pile of things, but Phelan wouldn’t let her. “I can stop it..”

_“She can’t.”_

Red spoke the words that Phelan had thought at her, “Phelan says that you can’t...”

That made Granny frown, but didn’t deter her, “I can... I...”

Then, there was a noise, a gigantic cracking in the distance and a boom. Granny glanced behind her back. “Now...” She blew out an annoyed breath and nearly looked as if she was going to kick Phelan. “You distracted me. Now... now there’s no stopping it. We have to...”

There was another cracking and boom and this time it was close enough that Red could tell that it was a tree, falling. There was also a wooshing sort of sound that had started.

Phelan shot a thought so loudly into her head that she didn’t even think, just did what the Wolf said, _“RUN!!”_

oOOOOo

Unlike in the forest, everyone in the great room was perfectly still, as if they could stop whatever was going to happen just by not moving or even breathing.

Regina closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them she finally met Henry’s gaze and she raised her left eyebrow almost imperceptibly. Henry smiled and scrunched his eyes closed. He’d been just a teeny bit worried that his Mom was going to hurt him or even kill him, but, she’d never know that, ever.

Regina closed her eyes as well and spoke two words, “Tres Apage.”

With the blink of an eye Belle, Baelfire and Rumpelstiltskin disappeared and Henry fell forward into his mother’s arms, unconscious. Snow was there first, and pushed Regina away so hard that the Queen fell backwards, smacking her head against the ground. She shook her head, shaking off the cobwebs, “He’s fine Snow.”

Snow didn’t seem to believe the dark haired woman and it took Emma putting a hand on Snow’s shoulder to get her to focus on something else. “Regina used too much of Henry’s... natural gift.”

Snow frowned, “Natural gift?”

Regina took Emma’s held out hand and got to her feet. “It may not have worked, what Rumpel wanted me to do. For some reason Henry has some innate magic in him. It’s how we got to you during the attacks by Maleficent, and I used it to send Rumpel, Belle and Baelfire somewhere else. I-- I think it may mean that he too has a part of Happily Ever After in him.” Emma put her hand on Regina’s shoulder and Regina flinched and carefully removed it. “I... I need a moment. I...” She turned and took the stairs that led up to her office. 

Once there she just stood still watching out the window. It was nearly night. The sun making what Regina guessed would be its final descent behind the Happily Ever After horizon. She closed her eyes when she heard the door open and close behind her. She knew that it was Emma.

“They’re all down there having a strategic meeting for you going off your rocker. They thought you were going to...” Emma trailed off.

Regina blew out a breath, “What do they want, I didn’t kill my son. The fact that anyone could thi--”

“I didn’t. Not for a nanosecond did I think that you would kill him.”

Regina didn’t turn, “And if I had?”

“You wouldn’t have. Ever. Ever ever.” Emma paused, “Please, look at me Regina. I’m not choosing Graham, I’m not. What you saw, the kiss... that was him, it wasn’t me. I love you. Not him.”

Regina still didn’t turn, “And if he’s alive when we’re back in Storybrooke? What then?” She paused, “I won’t... I won’t press for...”

Emma yanked Regina around by the shoulder. “What, for Henry and Jaime?” Emma grabbed Regina’s chin as the dark haired woman tried to look away, “I fucking saved you from yourself when I didn’t run when I fell in love with you. So, you don’t get to go all broody and depressed again. You wanna know why you never got the damn happy ending you wanted? Because you can’t just want it, you have to go for it... and... I don’t mean with magic or horrible spells and violence, I mean with words. You tell Graham to go pound sand, or take a long walk on a short pier. Or...”

Regina practically purred the next words, “That you’re mine.”

Emma pulled Regina towards her, “Yes. Exactly. That’s what you don’t understand Regina. Yeah Henry has Happily Ever After in him, so do all those muggles in Maine USA or Tokyo Japan or London England, or wherever. You just have to find the strength in you to fight for your Happily Ever After.” Emma paused, “So, can they call off the airstrike?”

“Yes. I’m... tomorrow we’ll be back in Storybrooke I think. I won’t use my powers there.”

Emma bit her bottom lip, “Not even a little?”

That finally got Regina to let out a small chuckle, “So, are you going to let Henry in now or not?”

“Ahhh...” Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma, who just smirked, “Hey, Henry, s’okay. Come on in.”

Henry spoke from outside the door, “All the mushy stuff is done?”

Emma leaned in and kissed Regina just as Henry came in carrying Jaime in his arms. He made a noise, “Aw... Mom... icky....”

Regina and Emma’s gazes met and Emma pointed at Regina, “He was talking about you, I know that I don’t kiss ickily...”

Regina pulled back from Emma, but kept an arm around her waist, “You just wait young man until you find a girl you like.”

Henry handed Jaime up to Emma, and crossed his arms over his chest, “Yeah, well, I mean, what if it’s a guy....”

Regina shook her head, “In that case, you wait young man until you find a guy you like, then talk to us again about mushy, hmm?”

Henry shrugged, “I guess. What are you doing?”

“Watching the sun go down.”

“Why?”

Regina was silent for a moment, “Because I think tomorrow we’ll be back in Storybrooke.”

Henry glanced up at Regina, then Emma, then Regina again, “Um... can... may we stay up until we go back?”

Emma tried to hide her smirk, “You did sorta knock him out.”

Regina squinted out the window and took a step towards it. “Oh, damn... I don’t think any of us are getting any sleep. Emma, get...” she made a face, “Graham, and as many other of our best riders as you can find. We have to get everyone into the palace, into the dungeons.”

“What, why?”

Regina pointed towards just at the edge of the enchanted woods. “A tornado.”


	9. Chapter 9

Rumpelstiltskin paced the cell, one way, then back, then he started over. “It was perfect. My son, I nearly had it all. I nearly...” Belle, in the cell with him put her fingers over his mouth, then put her lips to his and kissed him. Slowly all his gnarly looks, all the dark seemed to drain out of him.

Rumpelstiltskin pushed Belle away after a moment, “What did you... I can’t. Give me it back. I need...”

Belle gently interrupted Rumpelstiltskin, “Don’t you get it Rumple... I don’t care if you’re the dark one, or if you’re just... you... I love you Rumple, I always will.” Belle put her hand against Rumpelstiltskin's chest, “All you have to do is believe it.”

Baelfire piped up from the cell across from them, “Also, she killed Regina’s pops. You two are more alike than you think Dad.”

They both looked up and over as people started flowing into the dungeon. Rumpelstiltskin kept his hand around Belle as he quipped, “Regina already back on her power trip?”

Graham whacked the bars and Belle and Rumpelstiltskin took steps back. “back off. We’re trying to save lives, a foreign concept to you, I know, so... be quiet.”

oOOOOo

Emma mounted her horse and watched as Regina did the same. “Regina...”

Regina glanced over as Emma spoke, “Be careful.”

Regina leaned over and gripped Emma’s hand for a second, “You too.”

Emma took off first while Regina gave the other riders their orders and they all galloped off.

Henry stood just outside the palace and wouldn’t move. Snow and James tried to get him to go back inside, down into the dungeons, but he wouldn’t budge, though he did let James take Jaime inside.

Everyone from the town was already inside in the dungeons, and as Henry sat there he saw many more coming in from the surrounding land, being alerted by Emma, Regina and all the riders, or just realizing by looking that something bad was coming their way. Snow finally came out to the steps and sat down next to Henry. “You need to come inside Henry. Your Mom would want you to...”

Henry glanced at Snow, “Which one? I have two.”

“Henry.”

Henry shook his head, “They’re each others true love. The kiss totally proved that... and... I’m not moving until I see them, both of them again. Okay? I mean, you have two choices, saying that it’s okay, or saying that it’s not okay. Because, well... I’m not moving.”

Snow took a deep breath and studied her grandson for a moment before she sighed, “You’re so much like your mother Regina it’s not funny. I guess we’ll wait together.”

They both fell silent, but Henry was pretty sure that Snow wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut for too long, and he was right. She tried a different tact to get him to go inside, “And what about your sister Jaime? Who will look after her if...”

Henry made a face, “You guys will. Duh. And probably tell her all about how one of her mothers was ohhh.... ohhh so good, and the other was just evil, right?”

“Henry....”

Henry hurfed and turned towards Snow. “No. Okay. My mom never beat me, or, or let me go hungry, or... she tried so hard, and I kept... May,” he paused and sniffed a little, “Maybe she doesn’t like well, any of you, but she loves me. I-- I know that now, and maybe it’s not, like, gooey, crying, sitcom-y, Lifetime movie-y love, but she totally loves me. Okay? Okay.”

Snow had nothing to say to that, and so, finally, they just sat there, silently, on the steps of the palace.

oOOOOo

It was Emma who found Granny, Red and Phelan running for their lives. Emma nearly yanked Granny’s shoulder out of her socket as the blonde pulled Granny up onto the horse, “Red... up.”

Red started to object, but Phelan head butted her in the butt and the young woman sprang onto the horse behind Emma dn they were all off, trying to keep ahead of the whirling dervish of devastation.

oOOOOo

Snow turned when the door behind them squeaked open just a bit. James stood in it with Jaime in his arms. “Snow... Henry, we have to...”

“No.”

That was Henry, who didn’t stop scanning the tree line for any sign of any small movement. Snow tried to drag him back by his arm, but he resisted harder than Snow could pull, and then he saw it. Movement. 

A second later Emma, Red, Granny and Phelan who was still in wolf form burst into the open and came to a halt right in front of the stairs. Emma dismounted, helping Granny down as Red practically flew off the horse. Emma spoke, “Snow, James, get them inside and looked at. NOW.”

Without asking Emma took Jaime from James’ arms, “Go... go... it’s nearly here.”

She turned and with her free hand took Henry’s hand. “She’ll make it. Right?”

It sounded as though a train was bearing down on them, but neither of them moved, and even Jaime was silent, though definitely not asleep anymore. Emma pulled Henry closer to her and they stood like that even as the wind started whipping debris at them, though Emma shielded Jaime from it all.

And then Regina on her horse, her hair all over the place and two passengers behind her, burst through the trees just as one of them, then another and another were ripped from the ground.

She nearly threw herself and her passengers off the horse. It was Jefferson and his daughter. The door opened and they dove through it, and then tornado was on the Mills-Swan family and it slammed the door to the palace closed for them.

Regina collapsed on top of her family, pulling Henry and Emma as close as she could to her sides. Emma then heard her say some words, but, she couldn’t hear what they were over the tornado that was trying to rip them away from each other.

And then, everything went silent.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are we alive?"

Henry tried to move his head, but he was still very much pinned by his mother. "Mom...? I don't hear it anymore... shouldn't we?" Henry frowned when he felt wetness on his cheek that he was pretty sure wasn't his own. He could only see Emma. "What's... what's..."

Emma carefully transferred Jaime into Henry's arms, and gently pried Regina's arms off of Henry. "Just, give us a sec, 'kay kid? Go inside, it's cold out here."

Henry frowned and realized that Emma was right, they were being snowed on. He nodded and straightened up to a standing position. He blinked in surprise. They were standing in the front yard of his house. Not a palace, but the Mayor's house, and they were standing in what looked like quite the blizzard. He gave his moms' a look, then Jaime gave a cry, and he himself felt chilled to the bone, and so he climbed the steps and entered the house he was sure he'd never see again.

Emma, meanwhile held a shaking Regina in the middle of the front walkway. "Hey, hey..." She got no response from Regina and tried again, "This is where we first met. Henry begging me not to make you go back, thinking that you didn't love him, that you were just pretending. And you... evil, not evil, I'm not sure that I really cared from that moment on..."

Regina finally looked into Emma's eyes. Emma wiped away a tear and they both stood up fully. "I'm... I have... I have nothing left it's all... it's all gone."

Emma frowned, "We should go in... Henry and Jaime are..."

"No, the magic. The magic is all gone. I..."

Emma nodded, "Whatever you did, the words you said, to keep us safe and help us live through the tornado, you sacrificed your magic, your power to save your family."

Regina put a hand against Emma's cheek, "How do, how do you always make me sound so, noble? When what I did was so selfish... we don't even know if- if everyone else survived or not."

Emma turned her head and kissed Regina's palm. "It will all work out. We'll see everyone tomorrow. C'mon." She pulled her towards the front door, and this time Regina came with her. Emma smiled, "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted."

After a moment Regina smiled, just a little, "Got anything stronger?"

Emma chuckled, "Hell, it's probably the only stuff that's still good in the house, right? After all, I'm pretty sure it wasn't snowing when we... ah... left... Storybrooke." Emma leaned down and picked up one of the papers on the stoop and knocked it out of its bag. "Wow... Guess we were the happening on December 21st, 2012. It's the 22nd."

Regina frowned, "Wow? What's wow?" Regina tried to get the paper in Emma's hands, but Emma was faster. "Emma..."

Emma smiled, "Well, apparently our... rip in the space time continuum..." Regina rolled her eyes, "I guess it blew up a big blizzard here in Maine, biggest in years and years. Good thing that the words, winter, blizzard and Maine are sort of synonymous huh. And... we missed the election, for President, but it says here that... wow... Sarah Palin's the new President of the U..."

Regina snatched the paper from Emma and flipped it over. Then threw it back at Emma, who caught it and just laughed, "You nearly gave me a heart attack Emma." She put an arm around Emma's waist, "When you knew the only story in there was about how the rest of the world survived December twenty first." Regina paused, "You haven't even looked at the Red Sox results."

Emma winced, "I'm not sure I want to know."

"I thought you were a fan."

"Am, but... that's why I don't want to know. It's like the cat. As long as I don't open the box the cat's still alive."

Regina shook her head, "I'm not sure if I'll ever understand you Emma Swan."

Emma smirked, "See, there's some magic still in Storybrooke. Every day will come with its own surprises."


	11. Chapter 11

Once upon a time there was a town in Maine called Storybrooke. It was a town where children laughed and played. Where men and women, women and women, and men and men, even a woman and a werewolf woman met, and fell in love. Sometimes they stayed in love, sometimes they fell out of love. Sometimes they stayed together, sometimes they split apart. And sometimes, in Storybrooke the happiest of happy endings happened.

On the surface it looked like every other small town. It was led by a Mayor, had its own Sheriff who's department was vastly understaffed, a green in the center and even had its own inn and diner.

There were problems in Storybrooke, just like in any small town where the politics are just as intense as the caring for your neighbor. And loving your neighbor doesn't necessarily mean that you want to let her win the fight over your backyard wetlands.

But, Storybrooke Maine, it was a good place to live, it was a beautiful and calm place to live, and it was a safe place to live. And it was an amazing place to grow up in.


End file.
